Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the Lord and how He speaks to me. It seems like over and over the last few weeks I have been studying grace and not just studying it but, it keeps being brought up which then urges me to study more. Tonight though, I heard a song that the lyrics completely overwhelmed me. Not that the man singing it was extremely good, although he is one of my favorites; but the words to that song which the man wrote completely inspired by God, another man's testimony, and the Word of God ministered to me. I listened intently to the Words of this song and then in looking for the lyrics I found the backstory as to why this song was written and WOW is all I can say. God is SO GOOD. I don't know how much grace means to you guys but, I can tell you that God's Grace is the reason I am here, it's the reason I am where I am today, and it's the reason I can do what I do for the Lord. Grace, as defined in Webster's dictionary has many "meanings" but these are the ones which I believe to be the main points as to what grace is: 1. favor, kindness, mercy, 2. exemption as from a penalty, or relief, as by postponement of a settlement, reprieve, 3. Divine mercy or forgiveness, Divine assistance given man for his regeneration or sanctification, or 4. State of being pleasing to God because of responsiveness to grace. God's grace is Him pardoning me from a punishment I deserve, it's actually more than that it is Him placing that punishment on His only Son to pay the penalty that I deserve. I've often heard it said that Mercy is not giving someone something they deserve and Grace is giving someone something they do not deserve. Either way I think Grace covers it all; because of Grace we, you and I, are exempt from what we deserve which is death, a life separated from God forever in Hell, and we are given what we do not deserve which is everlasting life with Him in Heaven and a love that is unconditional! The more I think about it the more in awe I am of my God, the Lover of my soul. I don't know about you guys but, I relate so much with the Apostle Paul, not that I am such a great Christian because I am not but, because before Paul was converted and really fell in love with the Lord he was a terrible person. He had a sordid past. He was a self righteous leader in the Jewish world, he persecuted Christians throwing them in prison and even killing them. He was a feared and revered man who thought he was holier than thou, until God's grace intervened! He even called himself the chief of sinners in 1 Timothy 1:15. I can relate to that! I too feel as though I am the chief or most vile of all sinners but that is why I am so incredibly thankful and humbled by Grace. Let's take a look at grace in the Bible and what it means in several different verses and contexts. We will start in Ephesians 2:8-9 which says, " For by GRACE are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." This simply means in the Greek, that by the unmerited favor God shows us are we saved from eternal death, sin, and the punishment and misery consequent to sin and are given eternal life, through our faith in Christ. It's not about us or anything we've said or done but it is the gift of God not of any works of the Mosaic Law so that no one can boast! Grace here just simply means God's unmerited (undeserved) favor shown to us to save us! God doesn't say, if you have lived a nearly perfect life, or have kept the law, or have been a member of a church then will I save you. It is just simply by His favor and through our faith in Christ! The next verse I want to look at is in 2 Corinthians 12:9 (that's second Corinthians not two Corinthians by the way!), now in verse 7-8 Paul is talking about a "thorn in the flesh" that was given to him so that he wasn't exalted above measure and he prayed and sought the Lord 3 times for it to depart from him and in verse 9 he gets the Lord's answer: "And He said unto me, 'My GRACE is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'" What God is saying to Paul here is: "My unmerited favor to save you from sin is enough for you, because My strength is completed and matured through your weakness." And that is God's ultimate goal, for us to be matured in Him and His strength. Paul goes on to finish that verse by saying, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power (strength and might) of Christ may rest upon me." He decided to joy in his troubles and infirmities and weakness that Christ may be seen in him and that he may be matured into His likeness. I just love that verse! It may very well be my life verse, although a lot of the consequences of my past were brought on by my willful sin, God's grace has always been and will always be sufficient for me. So I too will gladly glory in those weaknesses knowing that through them His strength is maturing in me and I am being completed in Him! Does that mean to keep sinning of course NOT. Romans 6:1-2 says, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God Forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Grace is not a pass to sin, but know that when you do, God has forgiven you and still shows you His unmerited favor, amazing Grace. Lastly this verse sums up how I feel about Grace in my personal life. 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the GRACE of God I am what I am: and His GRACE which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the GRACE of God which was with me." WOW...Paul is saying in a nutshell, I'm not worthy to be called apostle or ambassador for the Gospel, because of my past, BUT BY THE GRACE (unmerited/unearned) favor of God which He showed me in saving me from sin, I am what I am! He is saying it's all because of God and it is nothing I have done but, the grace He showed and poured out on me wasn't in vain, it made me work harder than others; but it wasn't me it was the grace of God or Christ completing me!That is why I do what I do. Not bragging on me but, on Christ. On His grace that He shows me daily. That grace that I am reminded of constantly and stand in awe of. If I can show even just one other person that grace that He is maturing in me, it will be worth it. I know this post was long, but I don't apologize because God is teaching me so much about His grace and I just had to share some of it. I encourage you all to listen to Grace Wins by Matthew West and let the words speak to your heart as they did mine."Grace wins every timeFor the prodigal sonGrace winsFor the woman at the well Grace winsFor the blind man and the beggar Grace winsFor always and forever Grace wins For the lost out on the streets Grace winsFor the worst part of you and me Grace winsFor the thief on the cross Grace winsFor a world that is lost "